Where do you buy your manipulatives

[ChristineW]

I'm going to be homeschooling DS (4.5) for kindergarten this year, and DD1 (3.5) will likely be doing some work with us.

 

I've got a Lakeshore Learning store about 10 minutes away, but many items seem overpriced and they don't carry everything I want. I've ordered from Rainbow Resource but as I'm only doing K and Pre-K, my wishlist isn't $150--it could be if I bought everything I wanted but I've found the simpler the better at this age. Also, I tend to buy things as needed.

 

Are there other online stores that I should be aware of?

 

Thanks,

 

Christine W

[MtnTeaching]

Are you going to be using a specific math program? I ask because certain math programs (i.e. MUS) sell their own manipulatives.

 

I had some manipulatives I had picked up at a teacher's supply, but when we started MUS, I found their manipulatives to be much better than the ones we had prior to that.

 

(Come to think of it, I did have some different colored little plastic teddy bears for counters when the kids were Pre-K and K that the kids absolutely loved. I think I actually got them at a hobby store).

[Aludlam]

Well, RR and Amazon are my main dealers. If it sounds like something addictive ... welcome to homeschooling. :lol:

[sbgrace]

What are you looking for? I've got low cost manipulatives from McRuffy and sometimes for the quantity and type I need it's cheaper than Rainbow Resources, Discount School Supply and the like. They also have things I didn't find in other places.

Hands on Visual Spatial Math Manipulatives. http://www.mcruffy.com/HandsOnMath.htm

Math Manipulatives (kit is what you'd look at). http://www.mcruffy.com/1st-grade-math-lessons.htm

Science (again, looking at the kit) http://www.mcruffy.com/1st-grade-science.htm

 

If it has what you need or want they seemed like good prices for me.

 

I've purchased manipulatives from Discount School Supply and Rainbow Resources.

Edited July 19, 2010 by sbgrace

[mom2denj]

Rainbow Resource has LOTS of manipulatives.

[Holly]

I either buy from a local teacher's store or Rainbow Resource. Keep in mind you don't have to spend $150 from RR...they have very reasonable shipping. ;)

[ChristineW]

Are you going to be using a specific math program? I ask because certain math programs (i.e. MUS) sell their own manipulatives.

 

I had some manipulatives I had picked up at a teacher's supply, but when we started MUS, I found their manipulatives to be much better than the ones we had prior to that.

 

(Come to think of it, I did have some different colored little plastic teddy bears for counters when the kids were Pre-K and K that the kids absolutely loved. I think I actually got them at a hobby store).

 

I haven't decided on a math program yet. I'm thinking about MEP because its free or maybe Right Start b/c it is supposed to be Montessori based. DS was in a Montessori daycare/preschool from 9 months of age until February. We spend a lot of time with number rods and the hundreds board. He skipped the tens board at school and I'm having a hard time getting him to use it to practice addition and subtraction. Montessori math definitely worked for him.

[sbgrace]

I haven't decided on a math program yet. I'm thinking about MEP because its free or maybe Right Start b/c it is supposed to be Montessori based. DS was in a Montessori daycare/preschool from 9 months of age until February. We spend a lot of time with number rods and the hundreds board. He skipped the tens board at school and I'm having a hard time getting him to use it to practice addition and subtraction. Montessori math definitely worked for him.

If you do RightStart you don't need any IMO unless the child has some type of issues that need something in particular because the program is packed with them. I do have those counter bears and I've found them helpful both for fun and for things like patterning but you could find something to use for that sort of thing almost anywhere.

Edited July 19, 2010 by sbgrace

[Satori]

I got mine from RightStart, Rainbow Resource, and Amazon. I also bought from ETAcuisenaire a few times, but they ship too slow for me.

[HollyB]

I couldn't afford most manipulatives that went with any particular math program, so I looked at what concept the kids were supposed learn with them. I then went to the dollar store a bought a few items that I could easily teach those concepts. I waited for the used curriculum sales to get bigger things like an abacus, bucket scale, and base ten blocks. Your kids are young, so you can get creative without having to buy very much.

 

Rainbow Resource's shipping is pretty reasonable, so don't worry about not spending $150. I spent less than $5 for my last shipment.

[LimitBreak]

For Math, I've found the items I needed around the house. I've also collected manipulatives throughout the years by taking advantage of sales at local department stores. I also use homemade card sets which SM recommends.

 

When a local music store was going out of business, I bought a ton of manipulatives there.

 

For English, I use the computer to print out vocabulary/spelling words. I've been using quizlet.com lately.

[txhomemom]

You could try Discount School Supply. They have a lot of the same stuff as Lakeshore only a lot cheaper.

 

http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/

[fhjmom]

Target has some small foam shapes in the dollar spot right now. They are called "counting cubes" but they come cubes, cylinders and triangles. Each package has 50 pieces and a mix of primary colors. They will be great for counting, sorting, patterns, etc. I bought 4 packages and my pick up a few more over the weekend. :)

[H_Household]

I buy my curriculum including my manipulatives at Children's Books ( our local homeschool bookstore). You can buy online from them if you're not from SC. Here is their website..... http://www.homeschooldiscountproducts.com/servlet/StoreFront

I think they have really good prices and the people there are really nice serving homeschoolers for years now.